Page 174 - Transcriptions d'actes notariés - Tome 20 - 1682-1686

To the edueational motive behind Father Soulerin'e oosition there
. .
was algo a sound financial reason and this was contained in Father Mal-
bos' observation : "of some eighty candidates at thc Missouri Little
Seminery, not one pcrsevered".("'j ReeIizing the enormous financiel
sacrifices thet Bishop Charbonnel was making lor the maintenance oi
St. Michael's College, the bursar coniinued: "the bishop will scarcely be
able lo continue his sacrifice if WC shouid have poor results."iJl) A
combined College and Seniinary would enable the Comniunity LO make
expenses and would not Lie a charge on the diocese. In tliis wey the
fuiure of ~he Conimunity, even its coritinuance ui Toronto as a religjous
congregation, would not be, in Large part, dependent on the success of
the Little Seminary. Keenly aware of the obstacles confronting the
bishop and of the rapid alteration of his policy, of which the replace-
ment of the Christian Brothers wes but one exarn~Ie. Falher Soulerin
chempioned ihe adoption of a Seminery adniittjng w'orldly career-minded
Catholic boys, and by the weight of his arguriient hie plan was ultimately
ado pted.
While the prineiple of Father Soulerin was accepted regarding
separation, the Biehop, never ken on the deperture of the Basilians
froni the Palace, was at last induced ta agree with the superior on this
measute also. Thrrr factors supplemented the superior's arguments.
Living in close proxirnity with the Congregation in the Palace, the Bishop
could not have helped but notice the ~rowing restlessness of the Falliera
This restlessness wes expreawd by the snperior: "my posilion brcomee
sad even in the niidrit of coniréres because of their repugnancr toward
living in this hou~e."'';~' Though no records exist to substantiate this
conclueion it can be reasonably held that the bishop could not have
ovrrlooked the possible depariurc of the Fathers from his diocese. It
crrtainly would not have been a nrivel experience for the biahop to wit-
ness his priests reiurning to their native European diocesee.(""it in
probahle to eonclude that the bishop fdt that wparation might solve the
frustration of the Fathers, particularly ~inrr Father Soulerin writes : "1
have iold Monseigneur everything 1 can or believe to get him to give us
a separate hou se."'"^
In addition to Bishop Charbonnei's charity and intereat in the well-
being of the Fathers, his debts had been eonsiderably reduced by 1854.
In a letter to tlie Prwidenl of the Propagation of the Faith, the bishop
recorded: "1 hnishrd pay ing what reuiained on the Seminary."(B" The
feare of financial chaos were thue by early 1854, larg?ly rrducrd.

(50) Re,v, J. hialboq, Ltitrt ro Re". P. Toi~.rvieills, April 23 1853, p. 2.
(SiJ lbid., p. 3.
Ibid.. p. 2.
(38) Bishop Charbonnel Laiter ro Crrrdiml Frunsoni, hiay XI, 105L L~iter Book,
p. 38. A reference to some filrren prieots who retumed 10 their native diocma
between 1850-1852.
4 Rev. J. Soulerin, Letter to Rcv. P. Tourrieille, Novrmber 8, 1854, p. 2.
iSS1 Bishop Charbonnel, Letter to Cardinol Frunsoni, Januaty 7, 1854, Lritcr
Book, p. 40.